1990 Ferrari Mondial t

The Mondial was launched at the 1980 Geneva Auto Salon and represented Ferrari's first departure from its traditional three-digit naming schemes. The name 'Mondial' means 'world,' honoring Ferrari's successful four-cylinder sports-racers from the early 1950s.

The Mondial saw Ferrari return to Pininfarina as its choice of styling house, and initially sold as a mid-sized coupe and, eventually, a cabriolet. The previous Bertone-styled Dino 308 GT4 rested on a wheelbase that was four inches shorter than the Mondial, and despite the modest increase, the Mondial offered 2+2 seating. It was designed as a 'more usable' model that catered to a wider audience than the traditional two-seater Ferrari, offering a four-seat configuration coupled with the performance of a mid-range Ferrari. Rather than being built as a monocoque in a conventional way, the Mondial used a lightweight steel box-section space frame clothed with a steel outer body produced by Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Scaglietti, located just down the road in nearby Modena. The interior was fitted with British Connolly leather and a leather-trimmed steering wheel that was adjustable for reach and rake, a first for Ferrari. Standard equipment included air-conditioning, central door locking, remote control mirrors, and a power antenna. Cars that were destined for the US market received optional power sunroof. Styling features included a short nose, a long rear section, and hidden headlights. Full-width groves went across the grill section and grilled air intakes stood to the rear of the doors.

The Mondial was the first Ferrari to use a detachable steel sub-frame to carry the entire engine, gearbox, and rear suspension assembly. This allowed for easier engine removal (i.e. for a major engine overhaul, rebuild, or cylinder head removal) than on earlier models.

Production of the Mondial 8 lasted from 1980 through 1982. A Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection replaced the quartet of carburetors in 1981, and in 1982, the Mondial received a new engine and model designation, 'Quattrovalvole,' or 'Qv' and horsepower jumped to 230 with the substitution of four-valves per head.

Ferrari Mondial 3.4 T

The Ferrari Mondial 3.4 (3405cc) T was introduced in 1989 and was the final version of the Mondial. The 'T' was a reference to the new transmission and engine layout that mounted the engine longitudinally with the gearbox transverse (forming a T), a characteristic of their Formula 1 '312T' which had just won the 1989 World Championship. This configuration would become the standard for all future mid-engine Ferrari V8 models beginning with the 348 and continuing through to the 360.

The Ferrari Mondial t became available in the United States beginning in late 1989. The Mondial t, in both Coupe and Cabriolet form, was powered by a dual-overhead-cam 'vee' type eight-cylinder engine that displaced 208 cubic inches and offered 300 horsepower. The engine was fitted with a Bosch Motronic 2.5 port fuel injection system that took advantage of the 10.4:1 engine compression and 95 octane no-lead fuel, and drove through a five-speed manual transmission fitted in the rear transaxle. This was the same engine found in the 348 series.

Performance was impressive, racing from zero-to-sixty in just 6.5 seconds with top speed achieved at nearly 160 mph. The Mondial had a switch that offered a soft, medium, or hard ride. At all four corners were anti-lock brakes and this was the first Ferrari to feature a rack-and-pinion steering setup.

The Mondial t wore fenders that were no longer flared and the bodyside air intakes had a less diagonal shape at the rear. The sloping nose retained the horizontal vents and pop-up rectangular headlights, and the door handles were now body color and flush fitting. In the back were the familiar four exhaust pipes and round tail lamps. The instrument panel was redesigned with five round gauges positioned in front of the driver, and the air conditioning system could now be adjusted separately for the passenger and driver.

Mondial Production

Production of the Ferrari Mondial 8 lasted from 1980 through 1982 with 703 examples produced, followed by the Mondial QV of 1983 and continuing through 1985, with 1,145 coupes and 629 cabriolets built. The Mondial 3.2 was built from 1986 through 1988 with 987 coupes and 810 cabriolets. The final Mondial was the Mondial t of 1988 through 1993, with 858 coupes and 1,017 cabriolets built.

by Dan Vaughan

The Pininfarina-designed Mondial 8 was debuted at the Geneva Auto Show in 1980 as a replacement for the 308 models. It used the same 2927cc quad-cam V8 mounted transversely behind the seats. The US version produced 205 bhp while the other versions produced 214 bhp. The transmission was borrowed from their F1 efforts and featured a transverse-mounted gearbox that lowered the drive-line by five inches.

This was the first Ferrari with power-assisted rack-and-pinion steerings. Air-conditioning was standard with climate control for both the driver and passenger.

The Mondial 3.2 was produced from 1985 through 1988 with power coming for a V8 engine having a larger bore and stroke and displacing a total of 3.2-liters. Horsepower rose to 270 and the weight distribution was optimized adding to the car's performance and its mid-engine persona. Other changes were minor, such as painted bumpers and new wheels. In 1987, anti-lock brakes became standard, improving not only the vehicle's performance but also its safety. On the inside, Ferrari gave it a few modern updates and changes.

In 1989, the Ferrari Mondial t was introduced. The 't' referenced a new transversely mounted gearbox, which allowed the engine to be positioned lower, improving weight distribution and handling. The engine had also received modifications. Instead of mounting the engine transversely, as was done in the prior Mondial, the engine now sat longitudinally in the chassis. Its bore and stroke were enlarged giving it a displacement of 3405 cc. The 3.4 liter V8 was capable of producing between 270 through 300 horsepower, depending on the configuration. The Euro-specs did not have to comply with as-strict emission standards and were capable of producing greater horsepower. Top speed was achieved at 156 mph with zero-to-sixty taking just 5.6 seconds.

Minor visual changes accompanied the mechanical changes for the Mondial t. Rectangular engine air intakes could now be found on the rear wings. The seats, dash, and center console were modernized.

In 1993, Ferrari offered a Valeo transmission which allowed the driver to manually change gears without the use of a clutch. Though the Valeo system was revolutionary and worked extremely well, only a few Mondial t's opted for this option. By 1997 the F1-style transmissions superseded the Valeo system.

During the production lifespan of the Mondial t, the cabriolet versions proved to be more popular with over 1000 examples being produced. Around 840 Coupes were constructed.

by Dan Vaughan